From a private email:
“I hate synopses. I can’t wait until I’m published and don’t have to write them anymore.”
Um, no. Nice try, though. And while I am sure there are some writers out there who do not write synopses and sell their books anyway (please hold off on sending such reports; I know they are out there and bully for them) by making either blind contracts or selling off chapters sans synop, this is not always the case, and from what I understand, this is not even USUALLY the case.
Often, being published means that your synopsis is even more important, for instead of merely trying to get an editor to read the manuscript on the basis of your synopsis, you’re trying to get them to lay down money for a manuscript you haven’t even written because the synopsis makes it sound cool. In some contracts, there’s a whole chunk of money reserved until you turn in your synopsis or outline or what have you. At many houses, it’s the synopsis, and not the manuscript, that is given to the art and marketing departments. It’s the synopsis that tells the PR person what to put in the press release, the flap copy writer what to put in the blurb, etc. etc. It’s the synopsis that helps the marketing department decide how to present your book to the public. It’s kinda important.
So it’s not necessarily going anywhere after you sell your book, and it’s not one of those things you only have to do if you’re unpublished, and it is a valuable bit of craft to hone.
Is it important as writing a kickass book? Hell to the no. But picture this: You write a kickass book and a deplorable synopsis, which somehow does not prevent the editor from reading and falling in love with your kickass book. She takes it to the acquisitions meeting with a recommendation to buy. Her boss, her boss’s boss, and the marketing department don’t have time to read all seventy of the books the editors have brought to the table, so they just read the synopses. Yours is deplorable. They pass on your kickass book. Your editor is crushed and decides she’s burned out, can’t call ‘em anymore, and she should pack up, move to Maine, and open an alpaca farm. Now not only is your book not going to be published, but your deplorable synopsis is responsible for ruining the poor editor’s career and reducing her to a life of llama shearing.
Do you really want that on your conscience?
I didn’t think so.
December 27th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
It’s true – synopses are even more important once you’ve sold books. I’ve sold books on just a synopsis – no actual text. Other times I’ve sold a blind book or a book based on a paragraph summary. But that doesn’t mean I get paid until I turn in that synopsis.
One of my editors told me once that it helps for him to see a synopsis at the beginning because then he can look for potential problems BEFORE the book is written. It’s so much easier to fix plot problems when you’re working from a synopsis then revising your finished book.
Marianne
PS Am I the only one who LIKES writing synopses??? I’d MUCH rather write a synopsis than submit actual chapters of the book.
December 27th, 2005 at 4:36 pm
I’m with you, Marianne. I always say I can make anything sound good for four pages. It’s the other 396 I worry about.
Your editor makes a good point. No doubt this is why the outline for SOCIETY2 is due in February, though the actual book isn’t due until August.
December 27th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
*raises hand* I’m working hard on improving my synopsis and proposal skills, because they are MUCH more important now than before I sold. Much. – Charlene
December 27th, 2005 at 5:28 pm
Woah. Back it up, Charlene. Are you Charlene T. or Charlene G.? If the latter, YOU SOLD?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Why did Marley not tell me this? Congrats, girl!
If the former, I swear, all this time I thought you were C.G. posting here. Oops. Sorry. And congrats on the RT Nom for Best Erotica! Woo hoo!
December 27th, 2005 at 6:53 pm
Oops, sorry, Charlene T. here. And thank you, I’m stunned by the nomination! – Charlene
December 27th, 2005 at 8:34 pm
It’s funny…I don’t feel one way or another about writing a synopsis. It’s just something I have to do. I think I’m pretty good at it, mainly because I know how important voice is to a synopsis and I have no problem telling the story that way. Some are long, some are short…I never sweat that part, either, anymore. But they are CRUCIAL because you need them to get paid!!!
December 27th, 2005 at 10:56 pm
This is great to know, but sadly, I don’t enjoy writing a synopsis. =D Probably because I don’t feel confident that I write them well. I can just hope my skills improve in this area as I go!
December 28th, 2005 at 7:12 am
I get away with not writing synopses for e-publishers– I have two editors who’ll contract on a few chapters alone, and I love and adore them. (Count me amongst the people who hate writing synopses!) I know of a few authors writing for New York whose editors will contract on chapters and vague ideas rather than a partial and synopsis, too. But on the whole, a published author does need to know how to write a synopsis.
December 28th, 2005 at 7:38 am
I like writing synopses. I just hate writing books
))
Okay, seriously, I don’t know how good (or bad) my synopses are, but I don’t mind writing them at all. Except I have to be careful to not get too inspired… it sounds crazy, but if I make it too detailed, go into it too deeply, on the emotional level (my own, not the characters), I’ll feel like I have already told the story, no need to tell it again, and my muse will shut up.
December 31st, 2005 at 12:37 am
i think i’m in love! a really great blogger (whose book i’ll pick up soon) urging writers to work on their synopsis!
Signed,
An Agent.